Will County Gazette

Village of New Lenox Zoning Board of Appeals met May 6.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER

A regular meeting of the Village of New Lenox Zoning Board of Appeals was called to order at 7:48 p.m. by Chairman Muehlnickel.

At this time Chairman Muehlnickel noted that all members from the Plan Commission meeting were present for the Zoning Board of Appeals.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF A REGULAR ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING OF MARCH 18, 2025

A motion was made by Ms. Berkey and seconded by Mr. Blackburn to approve the March 18, 2025 minutes as presented with Mr. Wheeler abstaining. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A SIGN VARIANCE

(Public Hearing)

CoVantage Credit Union

Approximate 1.74-acre parcel located at 1000 East Lincoln Highway Jon Osborne – Revolution Branding d/b/a Image 360 Mokena – Petitioner

Ms. Berkey exited the ZBA for this Public Hearing.

Chairman Muehlnickel asked if proof of notice had been received, and Staff replied affirmatively.

Mr. Muehlnickel asked for a motion to open the public hearing. A motion was made by Ms. Dalseth and seconded by Mr. Raidbard to open the public hearing at 7:49 p.m. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

Mr. Osborne explained that CoVantage Credit Union would like to install an electronic message center (EMC). That would require removing and reconfiguring the current sign and installing a new masonry base to match the existing building. He stated that due to another electronic message board being 270 feet away, a variance would be required.

Ms. Neubauer clarified that the property is located on the southeast corner of Route 30 and Marley Road, and is zoned C-3. She said CoVantage would be replacing the sign with a freestanding monument sign which would incorporate the new EMC. She mentioned that EMC signs are permitted in all commercial zoning districts except for the C-1, and that there are various regulations for EMC signs. Those regulations are such as those signs can only be located on major arterial roadways, must be 150 feet from a residentially zoned property or any property zoned residential by the Comprehensive Plan, must be placed no closer than 500 feet from another EMC signs and the EMC shall not exceed 25% of the overall sign area. The Sign Code allows for freestanding signs along major arterials to be a maximum of 15 feet in height, and a maximum 80 square feet for the side face for a total of 160 square feet for both sides.

She said the EMC would take up 24.9% of the 15-foot-high proposed sign, would be 79.29 square feet with the overall sign being 158.58 square feet. The sign distance for the residential to the north would be a total of 200 feet with the subdivision to the south being 260 feet away. The sign location would be less than 500 feet from the existing sign of the NuMark Credit Union, which is why CoVantage is requesting a variance.

There are 3 criteria that must be met when requesting a variance.

1. The property cannot yield a reasonable return.

The petitioner could keep the existing sign on site, submit a design with a manual changing message area, create a new sign without the EMC, or because of this property being a corner lot, place one sign on each street frontage. Overall, the property could yield a reasonable return without the requested variance, however, the petitioner would like the EMC sign to be competitive within the market. Staff reviewed several different sign options, but the sign would still be less than 500 feet from NuMark Credit Union’s existing sign. The petitioner believes that the EMC sign is easier to update, more attractive and has a cleaner look.

Due to Provena Medical Arts Center applying for a variance for an EMC sign in 2012, the Village Board approved a Text Amendment to allow for such signs. Since that Text Amendment, other businesses have installed EMC signs, and with the changed market and updated technology, it may be beneficial to revisit the current EMC regulations to see if a Text Amendment may be necessary to avoid any future, similar variance requests.

2. The request is due to unique circumstances.

It was the opinion of Staff that the site does not have any unique circumstances as CoVantage has been operating for a couple years with the existing sign. However, this sign is not being proposed directly adjacent to another EMC, but diagonally on the opposite side, as well as having a traffic light intersection separating the signs. A wider right-of-way between Numark and CoVantage would give the illusion of the signs being further apart.

3. If the variance is granted, it would not change or altar the character of the neighborhood.

Staff felt the sign would not altar the character of the neighborhood, as EMC signs are not out of characteristic for properties along Route 30 and major arterial roadways. The reduced distance should not have a negative impact on the community due to the reasons mentioned previously.

Although the variance request did not meet a strict interpretation of the variance criteria, the ZBA may consider approval of the reduced distance between the two EMC signs from 500 feet to 270 feet, and if recommended, Staff could review the current EMC sign regulations to determine if a Text Amendment should be considered in order to eliminate future similar variance requests.

Staff requested ZBA recommendation on the requested variance.

Mr. Muehlnickel asked if the area below the EMC would be brick.

Mr. Osborne answered that it will be brick and it will match the existing building.

Mr. Wheeler commented that the current sign is probably one of the nicest monument signs in town and it is sad that there is not a way to incorporate the EMC into it.

Mr. Osborne commented that there was another proposal to move it to the east end of the property to make a secondary sign, because 2 signs are allowed on a corner, but Staff would not allow both signs on Route 30.

Mr. Muehlnickel remarked that maybe the distance between signs should be revisited. He commented that it is difficult because it is literally the same type of business that is kitty-corner from them with the same type of sign.

Mr. Raidbard worried that once you go down the rabbit hole, it could become more requested and he agreed that it was one of the nicer signs.

Ms. Ellis said this was the reason Staff suggested revisiting a Text Amendment. She said that in years past when a public entity requested an EMC, they allowed it on public properties, but in 2012 when the Provena building requested it, the Village then allowed it for commercial. The regulations have not changed since then, even though the technology has. She said maybe it should be looked differently, such as 500 feet from each sign on the same side of the street.

Mr. Muehlnickel remarked that maybe we should wait on amending the Text Amendment to see if there are more requests.

Mr. Muehlnickel requested a motion to close the public hearing. Motion was made by Mr. Blackburn and seconded by Ms. Dalseth to close the public hearing at 8:07 p.m.

Mr. Muehlnickel requested a motion recommending approval of the reduced distance between the two EMC signs from 500 feet to 270 feet in order to permit an EMC sign to be placed on the subject property located at 1000 East Lincoln Highway as depicted on the subject plans.

Motion was made by Ms. Dalseth and seconded by Ms. Blackburn.

Upon Roll Call, the vote was:

AYES: - Commissioners Dalseth, Blackburn, Raidbard and Chairman Muehlnickel

NAYS: - Wheeler

ABSTAINED - Berkey

Motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Muehlnickel welcomed the new Plan Commissioner, Kevin Wheeler to the ZBA.

Mr. Muehlnickel said that he would like to make a motion nominating Theresa Berkey to be Vice-Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals. Motion made by Mr. Raidbard and seconded Ms. Dalseth.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Zoning Board of Appeals at this time, a motion was made by Mr. Raidbard and seconded by Ms. Berkey to adjourn. Voice vote was taken. Motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m.

https://www.newlenox.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05062025-424